- Prime Minister Imran Khan approves increase in salaries of government employees after their Islamabad protest
- Earlier, sources said the government had agreed to a 20% pay increase and the immediate release of arrested protesters
- Two dozen government employees demanding pay raise were arrested by the Islamabad police a day earlier
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has approved an increase in the salaries of government employees a day after they protested in Islamabad.
Sources say a government negotiating team comprising Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Defence Minister Pervez Khattak and Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan called on the premier Thursday.
In the meeting, the officials of the Ministry of Finance gave a briefing and detailed information about the burden on the national exchequer due to the increase in salaries.
Sources said the Prime Minister, after briefing the officials of the Ministry of Finance and the negotiating committee, approved the increase in the salaries of government employees, but this approval will also be sought from the Cabinet.
Sources said a delegation of the government employees was assured of a 20% increase in their salaries and the release of all arrested government employees.
The talks took place at Federal Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak’s house.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid confirmed news of the talks on Twitter. He has instructed the Islamabad administration to release all arrested employees immediately.